Ep. 205, Skip Novak, High-Latitude Expedition Sailing and Expedition Sailboats
Skip Novak is a lifetime offshore sailor, veteran of four Whitbread Round the World and other races, and owner of Pelagic Expeditions. He recently published the boat "On Sailing."
We talk about the book, learning to sail, Kirsten Neuschafer, combining sailing and climbing, design aspects of proper bluewater cruising boats, deck layout on Skip's boats, rigging for heavy weather, heaving-to, drogues and sea anchors, rudders and keels, unnecessary features often found on modern sailboats, older boats, simplicity, communication, managing Starlink, safety, below-deck features of a bluewater boat, catamarans, favorite wildlife, sailing amongst ice, favorite moments, and more.
Vinson of Antarctica
Owen's WhatsApp 1-561-827-5457
Go to the article below for much more information
Ep. 204, Living Aboard and Sailing a Proper Electric Sailboat with SV Vagari
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Keith and Becca bought a Pearson 424 that needed a refit, and when the time came to repower, they found an inexpensive electric motor and made a quick decision to build an electri-motor system. They eventually sailed off from Texas to the Caribbean, worked their way upwind to the Windward Islands, then to the Azores, where they were when I talked to them. They've been sailing and living aboard for six years, and have a wealth of knowledge and experience with their electric-motor system.
We get into all the details about their system, but we also talk about the Azores, free and silent motor assist sailing, having unlimited power, refitting their Pearson 424, sailing upwind through the Caribbean, losing the prop shaft coupler, cavitation caused by seaweed on the prop strut, micro-route-planning offshore with Starlink, unexpected issues, their 48-volt system, life at anchor with 2500 watts of solar and a large lithium battery bank, comparing the electric motor to a diesel motor, comparing costs of repowering with a diesel motor vs electric, how to make the decision to go electric or diesel, batteries, and more.
The current solar array of 1600W on the new hard bimini built in Trinidad, plus 900W off the davits.
In the middle of installing a new battery bank
In the midst of originally installing and wiring up the electric motor.
Ep. 203, Tanguy de Lamotte, Vita Power, and Electric Boats
Tanguy de Lamotte is a French sailor and naval architect, and veteran of many offshore races, including the two Vendeé Globes and several Transats. He is also part of Vita Power, a company that makes electric boats. We talk about electric boats and their environmental advantages, the Vita Power boats, single-use plastics and why we shouldn't use them, sailing IMOCA boats, foiling, cruising, and more.
Ep. 202, Simon Curwen, Ocean Globe Race aboard Translated 9
Simon Curwen recently skippered Translated 9, a Swan 65, in the Ocean Globe Race, which was a re-creation of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race. The race consisted of 4 legs, from the UK to Cape Town, South Africa; to Aukland, New Zealand; to Punta del Este, Uruguay; and back to the UK.
Simon started as the navigator aboard Translated 9, and was the skipper for the last two legs. They had a great first two legs, but suffered hull damage in the third.
We talk about the boat, sailing a ketch, different sailplans, the difference between sailing solo and with crew, hank-on sails, foul-weather gear, preventers, adjustable backstays, using a jockey pole, highlights of the four legs, Marie Tabarly getting bit by a seal, a crack in the mast, surfing, running aground, taking on the role of skipper, rounding Cape Horn, a broach and knockdown resulting in a crack in the hull, the Falkland Islands, and Simon's new boat - an X 412.
Owen's WhatsApp 1-561-827-5457
Ep. 201, Sail Trim Basics with Carl Damm
Carl Damm is a sailing instructor and owner of Damsel Marine, a yacht managment and maintenance consulting service. We talk about the basics of trimming sails, like using adjustable jib-sheet cars, the boom vang, the outhaul, halyard tension, asymetrical spinnakers, using a spinnaker net, downwind sailing, flying the main or not when on a deep broad reach, sailing wing-on-wing, etc.
Carl has sailed on a lot of different boats, and we talk about what he likes and does not like in a sailboat, from a full-keeled gaff-rigged schooner to a light and fast Deerfoot, and design aspects he likes, as well as things he doens'nt like, like too many through-hulls, how to design with fewer through-hulls, catamarans, the value of a simple boat, sailing his Compac 19, refitting a Tartan 27, The Bahamas, Damsel Marine, managing yachts, etc. and what his dream boat would be.
I tell a story about my genoa sheets getting caught inside the furled genoa and causing a serious problem, and another about tearing the genoa and heaving-to wrong. Carl tells of making a mistake on the Compac with a bunch of non-sailors aboard, and a favorite moment offshore.
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The Original Damsel, a 1938 Rhodes Bounty
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Ep. 200, Gunnar Christensen, Preparing for the 2026 Golden Globe Race
Gunnar Christensen is entered in the 2026 Golden Globe Race. We talk about his motivations, what he hopes to gain from the race, his competetiveness, preparing for the race both mentally and physically, singlehanding and being alone on the ocean, Tapio's book On a Belt of Foaming Seas, The Whitbread, the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, sailing full-keeled vs fin-keeled boats, jacklines and tethers, preventers and boom brakes, using an umbrella as a bimini, the Tradewind 35, the Hydrovane, books, music, and more.
Owen's WhatsApp 1-561-827-5457
Michael Guggenberger 's ketch-rigged Biscay 36
Tradewind 35
Ep. 199, Alan Fishbone, Heavy Weather in the North Atlantic
Alan Fishbone lives on his Lord Nelson 35, currently in the British Virgin Islands. He sailed there from New York in December and encountered heavy weather, which we discuss. We also talk about living on a boat, solar power, Lord Nelson sailboats, heavy weather and sailplans, accidental jibes, the Bermuda Triangle, full-keel cutters, boom brakes, the British Virgin Islands, the Hydrovane, driving in reverse and not being able to steer, Puerto Rico Culebra, San Juan, and more.
Ep. 198, Kirsten Neuschafer, Winner of the 2022 GGR
Kirsten won the 2022 Golden Globe Race, and became the first woman to win a sailing race around the world by the three great capes, crewed or solo, and the first South African to win an around the world race. Kirsten sailed Minnehaha, a Cape George 36 in the race, which she refit over one year in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Before the race, she worked as a skipper with Skip Novak's Pelagic Expeditions, taking crews to Antartica, Patagonia, South Georgia Island, and the Falklands.
We talk about preparing for the race, her boat, the ten sails she took, maximizing boat speed, different sail combinations, the double-yankee sail, reefing, using a trisail, hositing and dousing the spinnaker, tiller vs wheel, using the Hydrovane, navigational difficulties, getting more in tune with nature when sailing without modern electronics, the mental challenge of calms, rescuing Tapio Lehtinen, beautiful experiences in the race, future plans, and more.
Owen's WhatsApp 1-561-827-5457
Ep. 197, A Conversation with Jerome Rand of Sailing into Oblivion
Jerome Rand is the host of the podcast Sailing into Oblivion, and author of the book by the same name, describing his solo nonstop sail around the wolrd in Mighty Sparrow, his Westsail 32. This episode is not one of us interviewing the other, but rather a conversation between us.
We talk about our boats, reefing, safety, the higher latitudes, cold and fog, wearing a tether or not, sharks, drowing, books, getting rolled by a rogue wave, and much more.
Ep. 196, Heather Thomas, Winner of the 2023 Ocean Globe Race
Heather Thomas skippered SV Maiden to victory in the 2023 Ocean Globe Race (OGR), and the crew became the first first all-female crew to win an around the world race. Heather was also the youngest skipper in the race, at 27 years old.
We talk about how she learned to sail and gain enough experience to be chosen to skipper Maiden in the OGR, preparing for the race, using a staysail and storm jib, broad-reach sailplans, the history of the boat, why women are beginning to win sailing races (competing against men), Heather's role and daily routine as the skipper, celestial navigating, foul weather, dealing with calms, the crew's favorite conditions, winning, The Maiden Factor, foul-weather gear, dealing with the cold, advice for young sailors who want to get involved in offshore racing, books, and more.
Ep. 195, Owen Murphy, Panama to The Marquesas
Owen Murphy recently crossed the Panama Canal, then sailed to the Galapagos islands, and on to the Marquesas, solo, on his Pacific Seacraft 34.
We talk about learning French, Polynesian tattoos, provisioning, cyclones, sailing from Panama to The Marquesas, siglehanding, Owen's Pacific Seacraft 34, spinnaker mishaps and lessons, going up the mast, gooseneck barnacles, climbing the mast at night, the three types of fun, wearing a helmet, boats that sank, securing the anchor at the bow when offshore, whales, transiting the Panama Canal, Owen's dream-boat pick, talking to yourself, and more!
Ep. 194, Lutz Kohne and the Golden Globe Race
Lutz Kohne is entered in the 2026 Golden Globe Race, and was part of the race organization in the 2022 GGR, taking satellite calls from the sailors and dealing with emergencies.
We talk about learning to sail, making mistakes, going offshore for the first time, losing the engine while docking, working with Don McIntyre in the 2022 Golden Globe Race and taking staellite calls from the competitors, safety, crossing the Atlantic solo, dealing with fear, Tapio Lehtinen's rescue, re-routing the container ship and issues related to this, searching for a boat, sailing a Rustler 36, books, rigging a staysail downhaul, hank-on sails vs furled sails, and questions Lutz asks me.
Owen's WhatsApp: +1 (561) 827-5457
Ep. 193, Rob Hamill, The Cruising Kiwis
Rob and his family, aka The Cruising Kiwis, bought their 43ft catamaran, Javelot, with minimal sailing experience to retrace the tragic sailing trip of Rob's eldest brother, Kerry, who was captured and executed by the Kmer Rouge in Cambodia in 1978. When we spoke, they were in the Maldives, having just visited Thailand, and making progress on their circumnavigation.
We talk about catamaran sailing, Cambodia, Angkor Wat, cruising SE Asia, their route across the Indian Ocean, lightning strikes, home schooling / no schooling, shallow-water blackouts, freediving safety, sharks, favorite things from each conutry visited, the importance of overcoming fear, and more.
Ep. 192, John Ensley, Cruise-N-Learn Sailing International
John spends his summers sailing in Puget Sound, and the winters in La Paz, Mexico. He is the owner, founder, and sailing director of Cruise-n-Learn Sailing International.
We talk about learning to sail, La Paz, Mexico, live-aboard sail training, reefing, asymmetrical spinnakers, anchors, electronics, Starlink, heaters, the school boat fleet in La Paz, catamarans, safety protocols, PFD's, jacklines, tethers, harnesses, falling off the boat while at anchor, favorite places, the Pacific Northwest, bucket-list destinations, the art of sail trim, and more.
Ep. 191, Tips for Cruising and Living Aboard
After making a life for myself cruising, sailing offshore, and living aboard full time, I share tips and lessons I've learned along the way. I talk about ways to prepare for this lifestyle and how to enjoy it once out on the water, living in a sailboat. I also talk about sailing education, safety, getting used to the water, the importance of water sports, yoga and meditation, books, culture, freediving, maintenance, having a mission, being flexible, sobriety, and much more.
Ep. 190, Brian Dale, Cruising as a Nomadic Musician
Brian is a solo sailor on a Hughes 38, currently in Georgetown, The Bahamas. He supports his cruising by playing the guitar and singing, sometimes putting on dinghy concerts from his boat in the anchorage.
We talk about anchoring and the new mooring balls in Georgetown, sailing from Lake Huron to The Bahamas, sailing with a tiny fuel tank, losing a dinghy, the Dominican Republic, his boat, reefing, autopilots, Cape Horn windvane, spinnakers, anchors, sailing on and off anchor, dinghy concerts, bucket-list destinations, Costa Rica, learning to sail, the love of sailing, solo passages, sleeping on a boat, dragging anchor, lithium batteries, solar panels, Starlink, and more!
If you'd like to bring Brian his sail, from the US to The Bahamas, his email is
acousticgoodguy@hotmail.com
Ep. 189, Expeditions to Antarctica, Michael Brooks
Michael Brooks of Expedition Sailing has been taking clients on skiing and climbing expeditions from South America to Antarctica.
We talk about sailing to Antarctica, picking the right weather window, steel boats, their maintenance, pros and cons; Michael's dream boat, running expeditions in Antarctica, Antarctica politics, anchoring/mooring in Antarctica, Ice and icebergs, dressing for the cold, features that make a boat comfortable in high latitudes, wildlife in Antarctica, a survival situation at sea, using a windvane autopilot and an electronic autopilot to steer when running downwind in storm conditions, heaving-to, overwintering in the Arctic, polar bears, and more!
book mentioned during the interview
